Dentures



Aug. 9, 1955 M. J. MANDELBAUM 2,714,764

DENTURES Filed May 17, 1954 ATTORNEY United States Patent DENTURES MosesJoseph Mandelbaum, New York, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1954, Serial No. 430,128

7 Claims. (Cl. 32-2) This invention relates to improvements in dentalplates or dentures and their attachment and retention in the jaw bonesso there will be no displacement or sidewise slippage during eating,chewing, biting, swallowing, talking, singing or smoking.

The methods and means heretofore employed for attaching and holding thedentures in desired and proper position in the mouth are unsatisfactoryfrom many standpoints. Many of these means rely upon suction for holdingthe dentures in place, but these expedients are unreliable and also veryuncomfortable to the user. Other means for attaching and holding thedentures against displacement require considerable surgical treatment ofthe patient that is painful, uncomfortable and often unbearable, and thedentures are also fixed substantially permanent to the jaw bones bythreaded members and other implants that do not admit of readydetachment and removal from the mouth for washing, cleaning or othertreatment.

Among the objects of this invention is the provision of means forattaching and supporting dentures in the mouth whereby the foregoingobjections are overcome.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a noveland simple means of attaching dentures to the upper and lower jaw boneswhereby the dentures are held firmly in position and will not undergoaccidental displacement, but will permit simple and ready detachmentfrom the jaw bones and removal from the mouth at the will of the user.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means whereby thepreliminary surgical treatment required for accommodation of thedentures is reduced to but a small fraction of that required by presentmethods and means, with corresponding reduction in the time required forthe surgery and subsequent healing of the mouth.

A still further and important object of this invention is the addedfeature that the dentures are releasably held in place and, when thedentures are withdrawn from the mouth, there are no residual plants,fixtures or other buried attachments left in the jawbones.

Other, further and more specific objects of this invention will becomereadily apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration ofthe following description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a denture attached to a lower jaw bone ofa person, said construction illustrating a specific embodiment of thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the denture shown in Figs. 1 to 3 anddetached from the jaw bone. 1

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lower jaw bone shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through the lower jaw bone along line 6 -6of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing a posterior end .of the denture shownin Figs. 1 to 4.

2,714,764 Patented Aug. 9, 1955 Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective viewshowing the releasable pin or stud holding the denture: in place when itis attached to the jaw bone.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a denture attached to an upper jaw bone ofa person.

The lower denture consisting of the tooth carrier 2 and teeth 4 isshaped to fit closely over the gum 6 of the lower jaw bone 8, which hasthe recessed portions 10 at the angular junctures of the anteriorborders 12 of the rami 14 with the upper surface 16 of the body 18 ofthe lower jaw bone. Each posterior end of the lower denture has a groove20 that is fitted to rest in and snugly engage the correspondingrecessed portion 10 of the lower jaw bone. This lower denture is alsoprovided with one or more bores 22, substantially spaced from theposterior ends. As will be seen in Figs. 3 and 8, each bore 22 is inregistry with and extends from a socket or cavity 24 in the jaw bone 8.The cavity 24 is preferably of substantially uniform cross-section andhas downward and forward inclination not exceeding to the front face ofthe jaw bone. A closely fitting, releasable stud or pin 26 is disposedin the bore 22 and extends into the cavity 24. The pin 26 has a head 28that is adapted to rest and fit in a recess 30 in the tooth carrier 2adjacent to the bore 22, so that the face of the head 28 will bepractically flush with the outer surface of the denture.

The recessed portions 10 and the cavities or sockets 24 in the jaw bonesbecome covered by the gums when the mouth is allowed to heal after thedental treatment known to the art following the formation of therecesses and sockets in the jaw bone.

When the denture is in use, the posterior ends thereof are held in placeby the walls of the correlative grooves 20, and the closely fitting studor pin 26 prevents or arrests upward or sidewise movement, slippage orother displacement of the denture when eating, chewing, biting,swallowing, talking, singing or smoking. To remove the denture, the stud26 is extracted by merely easing it out of the bore 22 and socket 24,whereupon the denture may be readily taken from the jaw bone and themouth.

Ordinarily, a single stud or pin through the front of the denture andprojecting into the adjacent cavity in the front of the jaw bone issufiicient to hold the denture properly in place. However, depending onthe contour and condition of the jaw bone structure and front angle ofthe jaw bone, two or more studs or pins may be advantageously used for adenture.

It will readily be seen that the foregoing method and means of attachingand anchoring dentures to the jaw bones require only partial drilling ofa cavity in the jaw bone and not completely therethrough, as practicedheretofore. There is no need for drains, owing to the simple releasablefeature of the connection.

The studs or pins 26, acting as non-permanent implants, may be made ofinert material such as pure metals, alloys, latex or other compositionsof rubber, plastics including nylon, polyethylene, etc., wood, glass,ceramics, etc. The pins or studs must be resistant to saliva and othersecretions of the mouth, to the pathologi cal secretions of the nose,nasal sinuses, pharynx or lower respiratory passages, to the irritatingaction of foods, drinks, dentifrices, mouth washes, smokes, etc. Theexposed face of stud or pin head should be non-irritating to the mucousmembrane of the inner surfaces of the jaws and lips of the month. Thereis a little clearance between the head 28 of the pin 26 and the recess3% at the anterior surface of the tooth carrier 2, to facilitatewithdrawal of pin 26 preliminary to removal of the denture.

A reinforcing disc 32 is fixed in the denture, preferably as a facing inthe posterior surface of the denture, and has a bore in registry witheach bore 22. The fac ing 32 bears against the gum of the jaw bone 8when the denture is worn. If desired, a separate facing 32 may beprovided for. each bore 22 of the denture, instead of using a continuousdisc or strip of reinforcing material with 2 or more bores for thecorresponding bores in the denture. The reinforcing disc or strip. 32 ispreferably made of metal such as tatalum, vitalium or ticonium. Thisreinforcement serves to prevent enlargement of the bores'22 in thedenture and protects the jaw bone as well'as the denture from damage bythe insertion and removal of the stud or pin 26. i

As will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, the metalreinforcement may be between the anterior and the posterior surfacesofthe denture instead of as a facing as shown in enlarged Fig. 8, wherethe facing is flush with the posterior surface of the denture.

In Fig, 9, the upper denture 34 is held to the upper jaw bone 36 by apin or stud 38% in the case of the lower denture. However, the posteriorends of the upper denture are held to the upper jaw bone by hooks40extending from the upper denture and inserted in the groove 42 intheupperjaw bone 36.

The present invention is not limited to the specific details set forthin the foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrativeandnot by way of limitation and, in view of the numerous modificationswhich may be effected therein without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention, it is desired that only such limitations beimposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shaped to conform g with and fitclosely on the gum of the lower jaw bone, said carrier having itsposterior ends formed to rest in and snugly engage substantiallyhorizontal recesses at the angular junctures of the anterior borders ofthe rami with the upper surface of the body of the jaw bone and be heldagainst vertical movement in said recesses when fitted over the jawbone, a bore through said tooth carrier sub stantially spaced from saidposterior ends, said bore being disposed to register with and extendfrom a cavity of substantially uniform cross-section in the jaw bone inregistry with said bore when said tooth carrier is fitted on the jawbone, said jaw bone cavity having downward and forward inclination notexceeding 90 to the front face of the jaw bone, and a releasable,closely fitting pin through said bore and extending into said cavity ofthe jaw bone for preventing and arresting vertical and sidewisedisplacement of the anterior of the tooth carrier when fitted on the jawbone, a head on said pin and a recess in said tooth carrier adjacent tosaid bore to receive the head of the pin so that the surface of saidhead 'will be substantially flush with the front of the tooth carrier 2.In a dental plate,' a tooth carrier shaped to conform with and fitclosely on the gum of the upper jaw bone, said carrier having at eachposterior end a hook to'jrest in and snugly engage a substantiallyhorizontal recess in the jawbone and be held against vertical movementin said recess when fitted over the jaw bone, a bore through said toothcarrier substantially spaced from said posterior ends, said bore beingdisposed to register with and extend from a cavity of substantiallyuniform cross-sectionin the jaw bone in registry with said bore whensaid tooth carrier is fitted on the jaw bone, and a releasable, closelyfitting pin through said bore and extending into said cavity of the jawbone for preventing and arresting vertical and sidewise displacement ofthe anterior of the tooth carrier when fitted on the jaw bone, a head onsaid pin anda recess in said tooth carrier adjacent to said bore toreceive the headof the pin so that the surface of said head will besubstantially flush with the front of the tooth carrier.

3. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shapedtoconform with and fit onthe gum of the upper jaw bone, said carrier having at each posterior enda hook to rest in and engagea recess in the jaw bone and be held againstvertical movement in said recess when fitted'over the jaw bone, a borethrough said tooth carrier substantially spaced from said posteriorends, said bore being disposed to extend from a cavity in the jaw bonewhen said tooth carrier is fitted on the jaw bone, and a releasable pinthrough said bore and extending into said cavity of the jaw bone forpreventing and arresting Vertical and sidewise displacement of theanterior of the tooth carrier when fitted on the jaw bone. 7

4. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shaped to conform with and fitCLQSJQ Y on the gum of a jaw bone, said carrier having at each of theposterior ends means for resting in and engagin'g' substantiallyhorizontal recessed portions of the jaw bone and be held againstvertical movement in said recessed portions when fitted over the jawbone, a bore through said tooth carrier substantially spaced from saidposterior ends, said bore being disposed to register with and extendfrom a cavity of substantially uniform cross-section in the jaw bone inregistry with said bore when said tooth carrier is fitted on the jawbone, said jawbone cavity having downward and forward inclination notexceeding 90 to the front face of the jaw bone, and a removable, closelyfitting pin through said bore and extending into the cavity of the jawbone for preventing vertical and sidewise displacement of the anteriorof the tooth carrier when fitted on the jaw bone, a head on said pin anda recess in said tooth carrier adjacent to said bore to receive the headof the'pin so that the surface of said head will be substantially flushwith the front of the tooth carrier.

5. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shaped to conform with and fit onthe gum of a jaw bone, said carrier having at each of the posterior endsmeans for resting in and engaging recessed portions of the jaw bone andbe held against vertical movement in said recessed portions when fittedover the jaw bone, a bore through said tooth carrier substantiallyspaced from said posterior ends, said bore being disposed to extend froma cavity in the jaw bone when said tooth carrier is fitted on the jawbone, and a releasable pin through said bore and extending into saidcavity of the jaw bone for preventing and arresting vertical andsidewise displacement of the anterior of the tooth carrier when fittedon the jaw bone.

,6. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shaped to conform with and fit onthe gum of the lower jaw bone, said carrier having its posterior endsformed to rest in and engage recesses in the jaw bone and be'heldagainst vertical movement in said recesses when fitted over the jawbone, a bore through said tooth carrier substantially spaced from saidposterior ends, said bore being disposed to extend from a cavity in thejaw bone when said tooth carrier is fitted on the jaw bone, and areleasable pin through said bore and extending into said cavity of thejaw bone for preventing and'arresting vertical and sidewise displacementof the anterior ofthe tooth carrier when fitted on the jaw bone.

7. In a dental plate, a tooth carrier shaped to conform with and fit onthe gum of a jaw bone, said carrier having at each of the posterior endsmeans for resting in and engaging recessed portions of the jaw bone andbe held against vertical movement in said recessed portions when fittedover the jaw bone, a bore through said tooth car rier substantiallyspaced from said posterior ends, said bore being disposed to extend froma cavity in the jaw bone when said tooth carrier is fitted on the jawbone, a reinforcement of hard metal fixed in the carrier and having abore in registry w ith the bore of the tooth carrier, and a releasablepin through said bore in the carrier and extending into said cavity ofthe jaw bone for preventing and arresting vertical and sidewisedisplacement of the anterior of the tooth carrier when fitted on the jawbone.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,467,163 Skinner Apr. 12, 1949

